Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

12-1999

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Major

Educational Administration

Major Professor

Norma Mertz

Committee Members

Dan Quarles, Lloyd D. Davis, Jeffery P. Aper

Abstract

Institutionally related foundations have grown in size and number in public colleges and universities since their inception in the late nineteenth century as a way to protect private gifts from confiscation by the state to meet budgetary shortfalls in funding. These foundations stand legally apart from their institutions but exist exclusively to enhance their programs. They have proven to be an excellent way to attract potential donors and involve them in the activities of the institution. However, there is little empirical data about how they are formed and operate in relationship to their institution.

This study was undertaken in order to describe the structure and functions of institutionally related foundations at public, four-year colleges and universities in the United States. The investigation involved a survey of 409 foundations of record at the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education of which 151 responses (36.91%) were received.

Major findings of the study revealed that structurally, almost all institutionally related foundations have a CEO they call an ''executive director," but most directors do not have voting privileges on the foundation board, nor do they serve in leadership positions on its committees. However, even if they do have voting privileges, there is no relationship between that factor and whether or not the foundation considers itself independent or dependent.

It was found that even though the executive director may have a significant role within the structure of the foundation, he or she also holds dual job responsibilities within the institution and often reports both to the foundation board and to the head of the institution. It was confirmed that the foundation board is made up heavily of self-perpetuating volunteer members, who are often also alumni. Since foundation boards were seen in the literature as a way to significantly involve community leaders who were non-alumni, it was surprising how many foundations reported heavy alumni representation as required on their boards. These volunteers, unlike the foundation's CEO and other institutional members, have voting privileges and are the people who head the board's committees.

Functions of institutionally related foundations were found to involve mostly financial concerns. The sources of revenue for operating the foundation almost always included at least some portion of state funds from the institution, although more independent foundations raised a greater portion of their operating funds from some form of fees-for-services or charges levied on the gifts themselves. Foundations boards were charged almost exclusively with the investing of gift funds, but indicated a high degree of cooperation with the institution, particularly its head, in setting priorities for which the foundation staff conducted fundraising and in the distribution of unrestricted earnings. Virtually all foundations reported they were subject to some form of accountability, both to the institution and to the public, for the funds held in their trust.

Download
Files over 3MB may be slow to open. For best results, right-click and select "save as..."

Share

COinS